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The Jets did not make a big splash in the offseason and bring in an established premier cornerback. John Idzik feels they have enough talent on board. They were outbid for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie by the Giants who overpaid for his service. The Jets also passed on corners Darquez Dennard and Jason Verrett in the 1st round and opted for safety Calvin Pryor. John Idzik brought in who he thought was the best corner for the price and signed Dimitri Patterson formerly of the Dolphins. The Jets are the 7th team the 31 year old injury ridden corner has played for. Patterson has been productive when healthy and has played his best not as a starter but as a nickel. In only 6 games last year Patterson managed to haul in 4 interceptions. On Thursday night in the 1st preseason game vs the Colts, #24 was awful. He looked a lot like the 2013 Antonio Cromartie getting juked out easily and getting beat deep. Now I know this was just 1 half of a preseason game but why not make Patterson the nickel where he could be more productive? Since Idzik didn’t sign or trade for a top notch corner like a Jonathan Joseph, the Jets will have to look in-house for the starter opposite Dee Milliner. Idzik decided to sign an oft injured corner in Patterson but passing on a Super Bowl winning corner Terrell Thomas who signed with the Seahawks. Here is my breakdown of the in-house candidates.

Dexter McDougle- He was thought by most draft experts to be a late round pick, but the Jets confidently drafted McDougle in the 3rd round. Idzik must of seen something in Mcdougle that he really liked. That said, he is a 23 year old rookie and this is not the ACC this is the NFL. I’m not saying McDougle was a bad pick ( I wanted Jets to take Donte Moncrief with that pick) but McDougle no matter how good he’ll be will struggle like just about every single rookie corner does. The cornerback position is the most difficult position to come in as a rookie and succeed. The officials will favor the receivers over a rookie corner that’s just the way it goes. Although McDougle may be a solid player one day, putting him opposite the soon to be 23 year old Milliner is very concerning to me. Best case scenario is he produces over the next few preseason games, but even then, he’s inexperienced and not ready to start right away. No way.

Kyle Wilson- Wilson is fighting for a spot on this roster. He was a 1st round pick and hasn’t come close to playing to that level. Wilson hasn’t shown much as a starter in spot duty and if he makes the 53 man roster it will be for depth.

Ras I-Dowling- This one time promising 2nd round draft pick has been battling hip and thigh injuries which ultimately led to the Patriots releasing him. Nothing would please Rex Ryan more than having a Belichick castoff produce for his Jets. Dowling is a nice sized corner if he can remain healthy he could be very helpful to this Jets secondary. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do over the next few weeks.

Darrin Walls- When he was signed from Atlanta I have to admit, I said to myself Who’s Darrin Walls? Due to injuries Walls was thrown into action last year and played well. Walls came into the league the hard way as an undrafted free agent. The Jets played on the road in Atlanta vs some pretty good wide receivers last year. I’m not sure if Walls played with a chip on his shoulder playing against his former team, but Walls was very impressive. He was tight in coverage, cleanly swatting balls away from receivers. He even blew someone up behind the line of scrimmage for a loss, the hit was something you would see from a safety not a corner. Now the whole team looked possessed that night. Geno Smith went 16-20 3 td’s and no picks. Jeff Cumberland looked like a beast, but Walls played well the rest of the way when given the opportunity. Now entering his 4th season in the NFL, I see Walls as the best player to start and I feel most confident with him on the field. I like what I’ve seen from Walls so far and my gut is telling me he can have a good year if given the playing time.

The Eagles are awaiting offers for 2 players on their roster who they want to trade for salary cap purposes. The 2 players are wide receiver DeSean Jackson and guard Evan Mathis. I would be excited to see both players on the Jets but here’s why I would be extra excited about acquiring Mathis and why I feel it would be a very smart move.

Mathis is a 32 year old guard but not only did he make the pro-bowl he made 1st team all-pro. He’s due to make 5.15 million this year and although that’s a lot of money, It’s not for a top player at his position. We’re not talking Steve Hutchinson type dollars. The Jets are way under the cap and are tight with their spending as we all know. However paying a player 5.15 mil won’t exactly put the Jets in a bad cap situation as they have more cap space than any team in the NFL. Mathis has 3 years remaining on his contract. He’ll turn 35 in his final year of this deal. The reason why his age doesn’t bother me is because he’s coming off his best year in his career and he’s healthy. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg coached him in Philly for 2 years prior to coming to the Jets last season.

How does this trade help? Last year Geno Smith was in the top 5 in quarterbacks getting sacked. Vick Isn’t exactly the most durable qb either. The Jets offensive line last year was mediocre and very inconsistent. The Jets lost right tackle Austin Howard but replaced him with more of a bruiser Breno Giacomini. The Jets top 2 offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold both had decent years but down years for their standards. By adding Mathis to the left side and putting him between Brick and Mangold would make them both even better. The qb’s would have more protection and the running backs will have more holes to run through.

Brick, Mathis, Mangold, Colon, and Giacomini would make for a very strong, tough, and nasty offensive line. Brian winters was better than Vlad Ducasse but by no means am I confident he’s ready to be a full time starter this season. Mathis is a 10 year vet who would be a great leader and mentor to last seasons 3 draft choices, Winters, William Campbell and Oday Aboushi.

I love the fact that the Jets have 12 draft picks. Reducing it to 11 and losing a 4th or 5th round pick to add Mathis to this team seems like a no brainer. He has familiarity with Mornhinweg and Vick and will help make the entire offense better.

I’m not against adding DeSean Jackson but you have to look at the salary figures. Do you want to acquire a player via trade, lose a draft pick and have to pay him around 11 million over the next 3 seasons? That is more than double what Mathis will cost. I think Jackson would be a great addition to this team but I can’t see Idzik paying him that kind of loot. If Jackson gets released I would certainly pursue him and try to work a deal out at a reduced price. This upcoming draft is a very deep wide receiver draft. It seems like a poor time to go after a high priced receiver when you can draft a receiver for a fraction of the cost, around a 1/6 of Jackson’s salary.

I’m still open for the idea of adding DeSean Jackson but adding Evan Mathis excites me even more. I know the guard position Isn’t a sexy one, but I strongly feel like the Jets should move in quick and snatch up one of the elite offensive guards in the NFL before someone else, maybe even a rival does. It won’t hurt the cap too much. It will drastically improve the entire offense. Rex Ryan, Mornhiweg and the entire team would go bananas if they add Evan Mathis. So would I.

Ok. I’m about to spill my guts out on why I admire, respect, and love Geno Smith as the quarterback for the New York Jets.

1st off, in college Geno Smith had a remarkable career at West Virginia breaking all sorts of records. He put up ridiculous numbers like the game vs Baylor where he went 39-45 for 656 yards and 8 td’s. Orange Bowl mvp, etc………..

Pre-draft there was a buzz that he may go 1st pick overall to Kansas City. Then there were talks about Geno Smith being immature, cocky, and having an attitude problem. The Jets could of taken him with one of their 2-1st round picks but went defense, no shocker. No team drafted a QB till the Bills took E.J Manuel. EVERYONE was shocked at this pick and the Bills were largely criticized by media and fans for this selection.The Bills saw something they liked in Manuel and rolled the dice. Then again, they are the Bills. Round 1 ended and Geno Smith wasn’t drafted. I know if I was in Geno’s shoes, and every single mock draft had me going in the early to mid 1st round, I’d be pretty pissed! Geno was, and unfairly took heat for it.

2005 Aaron Rodgers could of and should of went 1st overall to the 49ers the team he grew up loving. He slipped all the way to 24. A sigh of relief came across the room as Chris Berman sympathetically yelled “There ya go!”. I remember Rodgers not being to happy about slipping in the draft and I’m pretty sure Drew Brees and Brett Favre weren’t too happy when they were drafted in round 2 either. For some reason Geno was called a “baby” because he was upset about not being a 1st round pick. Now round 2 begins and GM John Idzik Is hoping that more teams pass him over for whatever reason and Geno Smith falls right into his lap. Lucky for the Jets there was bad propaganda on Geno. The Jets benefited from teams not in need of a quarterback in this draft. The next QB drafted was Mike Glennon (who may be a solid QB for many years) not till the 3rd round pick 73. Wayne Chrebet announced to the local crowd that with the 39th pick the Jets drafted Geno Smith. Like a typical New York crowd, some cheered, some booed (the boos were louder than the cheers) as the emotional and proud new member of the Jets came out to put on his New York Jets hat. Adam Shefter interviewed him and Geno all choked up could not of been more thankful and humble for this great moment in his life. Draft expert Todd Mcshay went on to say what a great value pick the Jets made and called it a “steal” draft pick by the Jets. Trent Dilfer said that Geno Is ready to play now.

With little playing time in the preseason due to an ankle injury Geno Smith was thrown into the fire immediately. He begins his career for the 1st time quarterbacking under center. During his time in West Virginia he was in shotgun formation all the time. He has to learn an entirely new complex system.

1st career start the rookie used his legs to scramble and with a lucky late hit out of bounds he got a win in his Jets debut. In his 1st road game in the young man’s career he was sent to New England to play the arch rival on 3 days rest. Thursday night football, week 2 in New England. What were we expecting him to do?? The officials wrongfully overturned a touchdown in that game. There was a fluke fumble where a foot knocked the ball out of Hill’s hands, and the Jets lost a game they easily could of won by 3 points. Week 3 the Jets return home and Geno Smith throws for 331 yards and 2 td passes (both bombs) and ran for a td. Jets are feeling good, naysayers are getting nervous because they’re starting to look wrong about their assessment on Geno both in skill and demeanor. They go into Tennessee and get absolutely destroyed. Geno does throw 67% for 289 yards and a td, but throws 2 picks, fumbles twice and gets sacked 5 times. Probably the biggest beating he’s ever had to endure in his entire life. At the end of the game press conference what does Geno do? Well he’s got a bad attitude right? He’s immature right? WRONG! He stands up like a man and a leader and takes all of the blame. He did the same thing week 2 after they lost a tough one to the Pats. All the pre-draft criticism was pure bullshit! He got up to the podium like a seasoned vet and took all the blame even though his o-line got him destroyed. 1st quarter of season Jets go 2-2.

Next game on the road in Atlanta. Primetime whole world watching 1st career Monday night game the Jets were about a 10 point underdog. The Jets defense gives up 28 points. Jets needed to score points. Geno throws 3 tds and completes 16-20 passes. Geno masterfully executes the 2 minute offense in the 4th quarter and he marches his troops into field goal range for the game winner. Jon Gruden said, “Geno Smith comes into Atlanta, and Shocks the Falcons.” Jets returned home to face the Steelers who were desperate for their 1st win, and the Steelers D was too much for Geno and the Jets to handle. Geno throws 2 int’s and he has a poor game. Takes the blame yet again afterwards. Next game is the revenge game vs Pats at home this time, In a game where Geno and Tom both threw pick 6’s. With his legs and arm Geno Smith got his 1st career win vs the hated Pats who no one thought would lose this game. Jets try to start a winning streak and go to Cincy who finished the season 8-0 at home. Geno threw 2 ints’ and played poorly. The Jets gave up 49 points. They weren’t winning this game. Week 9 the Jets and Geno play Brees and the Saints. No Holmes no Hill. The Jets win this game with Ivory running wild, the ever so popular Greg Salas leading them in receiving yards, and strong D. Bye week comes and Geno and the Jets are 5-4. Most “experts” predicted they would win no more than 5 wins all season.

Coming out of the bye week things start to go array for the Jets and Geno. Rex Ryan sticks with his QB as loyal as Rex is. The Jets get crushed in Buffalo. Geno gets beaten up and plays poorly. The Jets opening drive Marcell Darius crushes Geno and he Is taken out of the game temporarily. Geno came back in finished being sacked 4 times, throwing 3 int’s and losing a fumble. The Jets travel to Baltimore and lose another. Geno throws an int on a 3rd and 17 while out of field goal range. Stat sheet shows an int, reality Is it was the equivalent of a decent punt. Next game the Jets return home to play Miami and he plays poorly again. Geno was sacked 4 times. Geno gets benched Matt Simms comes in and does no better. Geno has clearly hit a rookie wall but will later get revenge in Miami. Rex sticks by his man and correctly names Geno as starter for the next game.

Now the Jets season playoff hopes are fading fast after the 3 game losing streak. They have to run the table. They beat the Raiders. Geno plays decently. With the season pretty much on the line Geno goes into Carolina and plays pretty well but the Jets lose to the more talented team. The last 2 games are for pride and experience. In the home finale Geno throws 2 td’s and ran for a td but more importantly no turnovers.

Week 17 the despised Miami Dolphins need a win to make the playoffs. The Jets go into Miami and Geno the rookie outplays 2nd year QB Tannehill. Again no turnovers by Geno and they end the season for the Dolphins ultimately getting their offensive coordinator and GM fired. Well done!

Did Geno throw a lot of interceptions? Yes he did. 21 the stats show. (That’s 1 less than reigning super bowl mvp Joe Flacco). I’m sorry but that’s what rookies do. At times Geno looked like Sanchez which I admit is frightening. Peyton Manning threw 28 int’s his rookie year and won 3 games. I wish Geno was Russell Wilson but he’s not. Many have said that the Jets had the worst supporting cast on offense in the nfl. Isn’t that a lot to handle for a rookie QB who’s playing under center for the 1st time in his career? His starting wr’s were Clyde Gates at times, David Nelson and Greg Salas. We hear all the time how the great Tom Brady makes little known receivers into something. Well Geno had to work with receivers who were picked up off of waivers (David Nelson) and picked up off of other teams practice squads (Greg Salas). At times Geno didn’t even have a healthy tight end, no Winslow or Cumberland. Zach Sudfeld who also was picked up mid-season even started. Even the “no-names” that Brady had were at least 2nd and 3rd round draft picks respectively. Geno had guys who didn’t know the playbook starting who were picked up days before and who logged major playing time. That’s rough! Holmes was hurt, Hill was hurt and Kerley was hurt. The Jets were 8-4 when Kerley played and 0-4 when he didn’t. Even the great Tom Brady had a better deck of cards than the hand Geno was dealt.

Geno was also a victim of poor offensive line play. Vlad is a joke and shouldn’t be in this league. Winters is a rookie who got beat a lot and got Geno beaten up a lot. Mangold had a drop off year. Brick was ok but not his usual dominant self. Howard was solid yet not great same goes for Colon. The Jets were a heavily penalized team. Not Geno’s fault. Geno was also sacked a lot! 43 times. Only Tannehill, Flacco, Ryan and Wilson were sacked more and Geno by the way had twice as many rushing td’s than these 4 qb’s combined. No QB had more rushing td’s than Smith who had 6 on the season. When the offensive line was pass protecting well the Jets had success. They were 5-1 when they allowed less than 3 sacks a game. 3-7 when Geno was sacked 3 or more times. He needs protection 1st and foremost. He needs a supporting cast. He needs support from the fans. He already has the support from his teammates who love the way he takes the blame for the team and for his professionalism which he allegedly didn’t have. Geno has been a great student of the game, says Rex and Marty. He’s been a solid leader. He hasn’t been immature or cocky like the pre-draft negativity suggested. I think people have mistaken his pride and passion for cockiness. Some people would prefer to be right and root for failure just so they can say, see, I told ya so. If Geno continues to develop and shine, how many will fess up? Answer- very few. Unfortunately we live in a fantasy world where stats and fantasy football are important. What’s important to me Is wins and losses. That’s the stat I care about the most. Am I proud of 8 wins? NO. Although the “experts” predicted 3-5 wins for this team. I am proud of the way our leader (Geno) has handled himself with great class and humility despite being booed at the draft and despite the media and naysayers doing whatever they could to try shatter his image. I get it, this is New York and this is the way that we work around here, that being said Geno Smith couldn’t of handled himself any better than he did.

Rex stood by his guy, or should I say Idzik’s guy, and Geno responded by improving down the stretch and saving his coach’s job. Geno will be the starting QB for the Jets next year. Deal with it. They aren’t drafting Bridgewater, they aren’t drafting Manziel. If you want to root against Geno that’s your business. Like Rex Ryan, I will be loyal and support Geno Smith. If he can win 8 games as an inexperienced rookie with a poor arsenal, I feel confident that he will improve on the most important stat. Wins!

The big thing the Jets lacked this season was weapons at wide receiver.

Wide receiver was a big question mark entering the 2013 season. Santonio Holmes was coming off a disappointing 2012 due to injury and what appeared to be a player who has lost his passion for the game. Holmes was wrongly named a team captain a few years ago and It’s been downhill since. Holmes has dodged training camp, sat alone on the bench with his “C” on his jersey while his team was trying to comeback, he’s done plenty of trash talking to motivate opposing defenses, dropping balls and every Jets fan can’t wait to see him go. Not what we expected when the Jets traded for the Super bowl mvp. Holmes will be out of the picture next season. Thank goodness!

The other question mark wide receiver Is Stephen Hill. Like Holmes, Hill also missed time in 2012 due to injury but Hill has also shown poor hands. This season Hill cutback on the drops but still found away into the doghouse and was injured yet again. At 6’4 215lbs and a sub 4.4 40 yard dash Stephen Hill looks the part. However until he proves us otherwise, he can’t be penciled in as a starter and must be lower on the depth chart. I am not ready to call the 22 year old a bust by no means. The wide receiver position sometimes takes a few years till full potential is reached. Demaryius Thomas a Georgia Tech receiver like Hill, wasn’t productive till the end of his 2nd season then exploded in year 3. I can give a long list of receivers who took at least 3 years to get going. Believe me, there would be a long list. Please don’t hit the panic button and use the term “bust” just yet. He should be the 4th or 5th wr going into camp, hoping he gets healthy and works hard during the off season and then just hope for the best. Week 3 home vs Buffalo was his best game. That was a little taste of what he’s capable of. We need to see more of that.

Jeremy Kerley was the Jets leading receiver in 2012 due to all the injuries. This year Kerley missed 4 games of his own due to injury and was still the teams leading receiver. The Jets lost all 4 games he didn’t play in and were 8-4 when he played. For the 2nd straight year Kerley was reliable on 3rd downs, showed good playmaking ability, and had consistent hands. He Is better suited as a slot receiver and could benefit from having a solid receiver opposite him. How can you not root for Kerley? He plays hard.

David Nelson was a nice mid-season pick up by Idzik. The Jets were severely banged up at wide receiver and they desperately needed someone to step in and produce. Nelson made an impact as soon as he got here. He had a few costly drops during the year but all in all Nelson did a good job. He’s a tall target at 6’5. He’s a good locker room guy. He wants to be a Jet and he was awarded a contract extension for his hard work. He Is a solid reserve wr who can fill in as a starter if needed.

The other receivers who contributed somewhat were Clyde Gates, Greg Salas and Saalim Hakim. Gates was frustrating to watch. Salas made some nice plays here and there, and Hakim Is a speed guy with limited skill. Of the 3 I’d only bring back Salas.

The Jets could use 2 more quality wide receivers. A big play guy who can be the go-to guy and a speed receiver because this Is what the nfl has become. The Jets are sure to draft a wr but will they use a 1st round pick on a wr? The last 5 1st round picks the Jets drafted were on defense. The last time they took a wr in the 1st round was Santana Moss in 2001. If Idzik feels that there Is a game changing playmaker at wr, maybe the Jets draft one at 18. If they go for another position in round 1 I don’t think the Jets wait too long in the draft to take one.

Eric Decker- He is tops on this list. Some think his numbers are padded because of who throws him the ball, I say no matter who Is throwing to him he can make plays. Decker Is a bigtime wr. The Broncos won’t be able to pay him. After 2014 Demaryius Thomas will be a free agent and they can’t afford to pay Peyton Manning, Decker and D.Thomas. The problem with Decker Is he’s coming off 2 ultra productive years and there are plenty of teams who may be more willing to overpay for him. Buffalo Bills come to mind immediately. Decker may get a boatload!

Hakeem Nicks- The Giants just splurged on Victor Cruz and have Reuben Randle waiting so Nicks is going to be a goner. Nicks when healthy has been a beast. However these past 2 seasons the beast hasn’t been seen. Entering a contract year I would of expected a monster season so a red flag Is there. Now keep in mind the entire Giants team underachieved so It’s tough to blame just Nicks. I heard rumors/rumblings that he gave up down the stretch of the season. Sounds too much like a Santonio to me. I’m sure he would prefer not to move out of the area. Nicks Is a solid starter who has a ring. If his price tag Isn’t too high, I wouldn’t mind Hakeem Nicks at all.

Golden Tate- I like Tate as a player. He makes big plays. I am concerned that he will be drastically overpaid. Teams that have a lot of success like Seattle, have players that other teams want. Tate to me Is a nice player who is a marginal starter in this league. I strongly feel some team will throw a lot of money at him ala Mario Manningham when he became a free agent a few years ago. Tate is 5’10 200 lbs. He’s not the kind of receiver who can carry a team and I think he will get paid like a guy who can. I know Idzik has the connection to Seattle he was there when they drafted him. I’d like to see money spent elsewhere. Mark my words Tate will cash in, Bigtime and someone will overpay and hurt their cap.

Julian Edelman- He is coming off a 100+ reception 1,000 yard season in New England. Stealing him away from the Pats would obviously be nice. I’m sure Rex would love a player like Edelman on his team. Would Edelman like to be a Jet? Not sure. Would he be as productive away from Brady and that system? Would that be like having 2 slot wr’s? I’m very curious to see what his market value Is. It would also be nice for Brady to lose 2 of his favorite wideouts Welker and Edelman in back to back years. Losing him to the Jets may be double nice.

Emmanuel Sanders- This was the 1st year Sanders was a starter. He was buried behind Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace. Sanders is a fine wide receiver who can make some big plays with his speed. Sanders is not a #1 wr. If the Jets signed Sanders they would need another one in addition to him. I think Sanders will re-sign with the Steelers unless a desperate team overspends for him.

James Jones- Jones has played all 7 years with Green Bay. For the 1st 5 seasons he was stuck behind Driver and Jennings on the depth chart. Last year Jones was a huge touchdown maker with 14 td receptions. This year Jones played well again despite Tolzien and Flynn playing some. With Nelson and Cobb and the emergence of Jarrett Boykin, Jones’ days in Green Bay are numbered. He’s not Decker or Nicks but he is 6’1, has good speed and Is an excellent route runner. He’ll be 30 in March. Good locker room guy. Must be on radar.

Jacoby Jones- When I was in Baltimore a few weeks back I saw Jacoby Jones flying passed Jets db’s I said to myself we could use that speed on our team. Jacoby Jones Is another receiver who will turn 30 this year. He Is more of a 2nd or 3rd option receiver who can be used as a kick returner. If the Jets don’t want Cribbs to return next season, Jacoby Jones might make sense.

Anquan Boldin- He Is another 30+ year old who has a ring. Boldin was traded to the 49ers to the dismay of Ravens fans and had another solid year. Boldin still has some gas left in the tank and as long as he Isn’t signed to a long term deal he would make sense in green and white. He makes clutch plays and Is one of the best blocking wide receivers in the game. Good mentor for other receivers as well. I like Anquan.

Mario Manningham- Manningham has been hit with the injury bug. He cashed in on a big money deal after he left the Giants, and his next contract will be for a lot less. Is he a “one play wonder” or Is he a guy you can depend on as an every day playmaker? I say pass on Mario.

Jeremy Maclin- His name has come up a lot as a top wr free agent. I like Maclin as a player ever since his college days at Missouri. He said he wants to stay with the Eagles. Buyer beware he’s coming off season ending surgery for a torn ACL. Unless you get him at a bargain price (not likely) I say pass on Maclin. The Jets have had so many injuries at the wideout position signing Maclin doesn’t seem to make too much sense. I’d like someone healthier.

Riley Cooper- After making headlines for the wrong reason during the preseason, Cooper came back and had a very solid year for Chip Kelly. I’m not sure the Eagles can afford to pay for Maclin and Cooper to return since they already paid D’sean Jackson plenty. Cooper Is a physical receiver who can make plays and find the endzone. At 6’3 220lbs and just entering his prime, Cooper wouldn’t be a bad option If they fail to land other receivers.

Jerricho Cotchery- If the Jets liked Cotchery they wouldn’t of let him go in the 1st place. For the life of me I’ll never understand why the Jets got rid of him. He was the best 3rd down receiver the Jets had since Wayne Chrebet retired. He was a favorite of mine and I gave him the nickname “Clutchery” due to his frequent clutch plays he made. If the Jets didn’t want him then, I can’t see why they would want him now. By the way, Clutchery had a career high 10 td’s this year and when he’s not playing against the Jets, I’m still rooting for him.

Please get some weapons! Try not to overvalue what’s out there. Cutting Holmes should free up some cap space so relief should be coming to the wide receiver position.

Last weekend we saw many football games played in the snow. This weather had many people discussing the possibility of a snowy Super Bowl. The people who don’t like the cold and the snow were saying, this is why a Super Bowl shouldn’t be held in an outdoor cold stadium.

As a person who grew up playing football as a kid from New Jersey here is my take.

Football is a fall and winter sport. In some cities the weather Is warm during these seasons. In some areas of the country the weather Isn’t as warm. I prefer cold weather to warm. When I was a kid and we had snow, we would gather everyone together and play pick up games of tackle football in the snow. We all loved it. When I played football in hot weather, with pads on, I didn’t enjoy the game as much. As a football fan, you have the option to go to the game, or not to go to the game. If you don’t like the heat, you don’t attend the game. If you don’t like the cold, don’t attend game. It’s about time some other cities were allowed to host the Super Bowl. Kudos to Roger Goodell for doing the right thing here. Well, what if it snows and It’s cold? Well, if It’s cold and snowy for a conference final do they postpone the game? It’s funny how people are complaining about the Super Bowl being played in New Jersey this year. 47 Super Bowls were played in warm weather or a dome and 1 in possible cold weather. To me, if someone had their way 47 straight times and was upset because they didn’t get their way for the 48th consecutive time seems beyond selfish to me. Something is very wrong with this. What makes football so wonderfully different from other sports is that weather doesn’t get in the way of the sport unless It’s lightning, earthquake, or a power outage type situation. The beauty of the game Is that the show must go on. Some of the most memorable and unforgettable football games were played in blizzards, mud, fog, wind etc. Also, If the weather Is cold and snowy Is it only cold and snowy for 1 team and not the other?

I was watching the snow games this past weekend and the players looked like they were kids in a candy store. Smiling, laughing, sliding and even making snow angels. The players weren’t complaining. I’ve heard this stupid comment, “Well we don’t want the weather to determine the outcome of the game”. That is DUMB! The weather doesn’t determine the outcome. The players do. A football players job is to play their best no matter what the conditions are. If they can’t handle it, choose another sport. If a fan can’t handle it watch from home. A few years ago the Super Bowl was played in Miami, yet Again, and It rained. So there. Game goes on.

So why not play in a dome every year? If football was meant to be played in a dome, then 100 years ago the inventors of the greatest sport every created would of began playing the game indoors. If you want to put a Super Bowl indoors in a dome go ahead. Just as long as you put Super Bowls in other cities too.

Why is it fair that the same few states host the Super Bowl? Why do the same teams get the opportunity to have a home championship game? This is fair? This is an even playing field?

Are we that upset that the halftime entertainers are going to be cold? Really??? They’re just going to limp sync anyway. “Well the fans will be cold”. Ok, Dress warm bring a blanket. JEEEZ.

It baffles me that the ones who have the most and get the most, are the ones complaining. Plain and simple, if you don’t like the cold, don’t go to the game.

Finally the Super Bowl is being played the way the game was meant to be played.

Not only Is this game tomorrow afternoon a huge game to keep the Jest playoff hopes alive, but It may also tell us if we have the same head coach next year and if we have our quarterback of the future. A loss at home to the Miami Dolphins would put the Jets to 2 games under .500 and all but end their season. A win on Sunday would keep their playoff hopes alive and give us a better understanding of whether or not Geno is our guy moving forward. Geno has been shaky over the past few games. He’s also been victim of getting hit quickly and often from heavy pressure, and receivers not getting open and dropping catchable balls. This is a big game for the youngster. The hated Miami Dolphins are equally desperate for a win on Sunday. The loser of this game would be all but finished for the season. Rex Ryan hasn’t had the success we Jets fans would like vs the divisional foe Dolphins. This game Is a very winnable game. The Jets play at home where they are 4-1 and where Drew Brees and Tom Brady weren’t able to defeat the Jets. Now It’s Ryan Tannenhill’s turn. The knock on Tannenhill Is he hasn’t thrown the deep ball well. This Is music to the Jets ears. The Jets db’s have been scorched by Joe Flacco and E.J Manuel in the last 2 games. Also the Jets seem to play poorly in windy and cold conditions. Tomorrow’s game will be above freezing and less wind than the past couple games. The Dolphins offensive line has given up a lot of sacks this year as they are missing both Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. This is a great advantage to the Jets strong defensive line. Rex Ryan should have no problem coming up with some blitz packages. The Dolphins will fail to run the ball against the Jets the same way every team has failed this season. If Rex Ryan and Geno Smith want to make a statement about their future with this franchise, tomorrow’s game should give us a huge indication.

The Jets have no excuses. Dolphins are missing 2 starters on their o-line, their quarterback is struggling and the Jets are home. If Rex Ryan wants to keep his job it is imperative that the Jets beat their rival tomorrow. For Geno Smith this would make it a clean sweep at home vs the divisional teams. Geno had 4th quarter comebacks vs the Bills in week 3 as well as a comeback victory over the Pats in week 7. Getting to .500 would keep the Jets playoff hopes alive. The Jets have some winnable games coming up and tomorrow is one of them. The rest of the games are meaningless however If they can’t beat Miami.

The Jets have many concerns right now, but they CAN be corrected. Will they be corrected is the question? It is easy for the blame to be pointed at Rex Ryan or Geno Smith but by doing that, it is flat out wrong. Rex Ryan has this team competing and perhaps overachieving and Geno Smith is a rookie who has some big wins on his resume already. So I’m going to take a look at the big picture.

The Jets are 4-1 at home and 1-5 on the road this year. With their most recent losses in Cincy, Buffalo and Baltimore. All 3 of those losses came against teams on the road, in cold and windy weather and against teams with strong defensive lines. No coincidence. Is Geno Smith a poor cold weather quarterback? Maybe. However Rex Ryan is 100% correct in saying that pinning all the blame on the young qb Isn’t fair to do. The Jets offensive line was meshing nicely a few weeks ago and lately they haven’t opened up holes for the run game and Geno Smith is getting beaten up back there. Some of Geno’s passes aren’t exactly where they need to be and he’s the 1st one to admit that but a ton of balls are hitting the receivers in the hands and they are not catching them. In fact there was a very catchable pass to David Nelson in Baltimore that looked like Nelson was handing the ball to the defense on a silver platter. If the Ravens defense would of intercepted that pass, some fans and plenty of idiot media members would of found a way to blame Geno. There was a 3rd and long the Jets weren’t in field goal range. They needed a touchdown. Geno had no receivers open and the usual heavy pressure, Geno tries to make a play knowing that next down is a punt anyway. The pass is intercepted around the 15 yard line of Baltimore. Boxscore shows interception, perception shows an ok punt.

This Jets offensive line needs to do a better job as a unit opening up holes for the running game and must do a better job in pass protection. The receivers have to do a better job of catching balls. Where is the playmaker Santonio Holmes? If he’s not nursing an injury he’s bitching about the cold weather. Hopefully the sure handed Jeremy Kerley comes back this week. it would be nice if Stephen Hill would contribute. It’s sad when Greg Salas has become the teams go-to receiver. How about some consistency from these tight ends? But lets pin the blame on Geno?

I am disappointed with the Ed Reed signing thus far. I thought he was coming in to contribute to the secondary. I didn’t think he was here to hardly leave the field and kick Antonio Allen to the bench. Ed Reed is one of the best ballhawking safeties of all time. Then why are the Jets getting embarrassed and beaten repeatedly on long balls? If Reed can’t help here then the Jets have a problem and they must keep Allen on the field. So much for Reed being a mentor? The Jets run defense is as close to an unstoppable force as I’ve ever seen a run defense. No team has come close to having a successful day on the ground vs this defense this season. The pass defense is another story.

I think Marty Mornhinweg would build Geno Smith’s confidence by coming out of the gate slinging. This would not only build the confidence of the young qb but it would also build the o-line confidence. The pass should set up the run and not vice versa. This would keep the defense on it’s heels as well. Coddling Geno the way they did in Baltimore was an idea, but it was a recipe for disaster.

Those who want to see Matt Simms play just remember this. Matt Simms has only played in exhibition games vs 3rd string defenses and has played in garbage time vs prevent defenses. If you think Geno is raw and lacks experience than you are delusional if you think Matt Simms has what it takes to get the job done at qb for the Jets. Geno Smith could of been drafted in the 1st round and no one would of been surprised. He has talent. He’s young and needs the playing time to develop and for the Jets to see if they have a long term answer at qb. Just keep in mind that he is a rookie. There are receivers who are average at best and their offensive line is struggling at the moment. There Is time to turn things around but they are running out of time. They still have 3 home games on the schedule. A victory over the reeling Miami Dolphins could give them the boost that they need. Hopefully the 12th man and some home cookin is just what this team needs.

The Jets continued alternating wins and losses with a brutal divisional loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Jets came off of a bye week and had extra time to prepare for the Bills and they got embarrassed. The Bills were without their top 2 wide receivers Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods and yet they were simply outplayed and outcoached. The run defense did what they have been doing all year and shut down the Bills run game. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the pass defense. Dee Milliner got picked on and so did Antonio Cromartie. It seemed like Geno Smith had a problem throwing in these windy conditions but E.J.Manuel didn’t. Should Marty Mornhinweg gone a different route with his game plan after seeing Geno struggle? Could they have run the ball more? The Jets got beaten up in every phase. One thing is for sure the Jets offensive line got devoured by the Bills defense. From the very opening drive where Geno Smith got hammered and was slow getting up till when Geno was replaced by Matt Simms. Geno Smith was hit hard and hit often. It almost seemed like Mike Pettine’s defense was playing the role of a Rex Ryan defense on a good day. The Jets lost the turnover battle once again. Even Nick Folk, aka automatic, missed a field goal. The Patriots lost on Monday night and the Jets lost their chance to gain on them.

Now the focus has turned to the Baltimore Ravens. Rex Ryan hasn’t fared well vs his former team thus far. However the Jets have responded with wins following a loss all season long. The addition of Ed Reed will add some extra juice to this game. The defending champions are 4-6 and hanging on for dear life to their own playoff hopes. Early forecast for this Sunday is cold, windy and dry. Can Geno Smith handle these cold and windy conditions? The Ravens are coming off a tough loss of their own in some rough weather in Chicago which delayed the game for a couple of hours. A win in Baltimore will get the Jets back over .500. As bad as the loss in Buffalo was, the Jets still are in the drivers seat for the playoffs.

There is a few things to be concerned about heading into Baltimore. If Bills receivers T.J. Graham and Marquise Goodwin can burn the Jets secondary than what’s going to happen when speedsters Torey Smith and Jacoby Jones fly down the field? We know Joe Flacco can sling it. The fact that the Jets have rebounded from a loss consistently makes me feel comfortable in believing that the Jets will correct their problems and not make the same mistakes 2 weeks in a row. The Jets missed out on an opportunity to gain on the Patriots but they have another chance here. Perhaps the Bills game was a trap with the Ravens ahead? At any rate the Jets need to find some consistency and that’s been the story of the entire season. For the Jets to be 2nd to last in the NFL in giveaways this year, and to be in position for the playoffs they have to be either lucky and/or talented.

I’m hoping the pattern continues for the Jets this weekend or it will be a painfully long drive home from Baltimore. I’ll be dressed accordingly in the stands and prepared for the chilly weather. I hope that Geno Smith and the Jets can handle it. Nothing would be nicer than getting home from Baltimore after a Jets win, putting on the Sunday night primetime game, and watching the Denver Broncos defeat the Pats putting the icing on the cake on this wonderful Sunday.

The Jets have made it to their bye week with a 5-4 record and now It’s time to finish strong. I strongly feel that their best football is ahead of them. Many would say the Jets weren’t good enough to win 5 of their 1st 9 but I sense that this team is gelling nicely on all 3 phases. Geno Smith has 9 games under his belt and is looking more comfortable as the season continues. The Jets had an extra week to prepare for the Bills in Buffalo and a chance to move 1 game closer to the division leading Patriots. I’m not so certain the division is in the bag for the Pats. Next Monday they play on the road in Carolina vs a scorching hot Panthers team who just beat the 49ers in San Fran. The Patriots have to finish this season without Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo.The Jets have 3 big divisional games remaining on their schedule. This Sunday is the 1st then 2 games against the Dolphins who are making headlines right now for all the wrong reasons. I think the Bucs get their 1st win of the season tonight and take the Dolphins down. For the 1st time this year I will be rooting for old pal Darrelle Revis to have a big game. With the Jaguars upsetting the Titans last night the Bucs remain the only winless team in the NFL. Last week the Bucs came extremely close to beating a tough Seahawks team in Seattle. If the Jets can win the important divisional games this will not only give them a wildcard shot but It will also put them in a good position for the divisional title. The Jets match up well vs Buffalo. The Bills strength on offense is their running game. The Jets have been the best team in the NFL vs the run this season.

A second have run the Jets will need consistency. The win one lose one pattern has to stop and I hope the bye week changes this pattern for the better. The Jets aim for their 1st winning streak of the season this Sunday. The keys to finishing the season strong is to keep the turnovers down. The offensive line is improving week in and week out. Replacing Vlad Ducasse with Brian Winters has made a significant improvement. If Chris Ivory can start to heat up then this can open up the passing game for Geno Smith. Marty Mornhinweg has done a terrific job with this offense and really knows how to game plan. He calls plays to the strength of his players. The reason I feel that the Jets will improve this year is because of the job Marty had done with this offense, the job Rex Ryan and Dennis Thurman have done with this defense, and the job Ben Kotwica has done with the special teams. Kotwica got to learn behind one of the best special teams coaches off all time in Mike Westhoff. Last year the Jets special teams was awful. This year the unit is much better. Nick Folk has been automatic with his field goals and hasn’t missed 1 yet. Ryan Quigley is holding his own as the punter and the addition of Josh Cribbs just elevates the return game tremendously.

Good coaching, good chemistry, don’t turn the ball over equals consistency. Wildcard would be nice, but divisional title and home playoff game is even nicer. Go get em boys!

Well the Jets did it again. They bounced back from a terrible loss with an impressive win. Rex Ryan improved his record to 5-0 in games where he’s gone against his twin brother. Now the Jets sit at 5-4 heading into their bye week. About 2 months ago most people were looking at the Jets schedule and thinking that the Jets wouldn’t win many games. The Jets were big underdogs at Atlanta, home vs Pats, home vs Saints and the Jets won them all. The Jets are in prime position for the postseason and there is one person in particular to thank for this, Joihn Idzik.

During the off season the Jets went through some major changes. Many people thought the Jets were poorly put together by John Idzik because he wanted a reason to fire Rex Ryan. Former GM Mike Tannenbaum left the Jets with a huge salary cap mess. John Idzik had some serious work to do. First major decision he had to make was deciding what to do with the disgruntled Darrelle Revis who came off season ending surgery from a torn acl. To the chagrin of many fans and sports writers John Idzik found a willing trade partner. Idzik was able to acquire a 1st round pick which turned into Sheldon Richardson. They also received a 3rd round pick in next years draft as well. Revis who was recently quoted as saying “I’d rather be winless and rich”. As much as it hurt to lose Darrelle revis this clearly was a great trade by the new gm. The Jets were so cap strung because of the high salaries to players like Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes that they couldn’t bring in any high priced free agents, nor could they keep several of their own. Laron Landry fled to Indy for big bucks. Dustin Keller left to go to divisional foe Miami. Mike Devito a favorite of Ryan’s left to go to the Chiefs. Yeremiah Bell went to the Cards. Shonn Greene signed with the Titans. Matt Slauson signed with the Bears. Bart Scott wasn’t brought back. All these losses and the Jets were left with a pretty bare roster.

Idzik filled this roster with low priced bargain free agents such as Dawan Landry, Willie Colon and Kellen Winslow. Idzik also picked up some free agents during the season who have been very nice additions to this team. Josh Cribbs has done a nice job on special teams and has made some plays in wildcat packages. David Nelson was picked up a few weeks ago and he has done an excellent job thus far. A few weeks ago the Jets were made fun of for signing Greg Salas off the Eagles practice squad because he was injured. I guess Idzik knew what he was doing because Salas in his 1st game as a Jet last Sunday led the team in receiving yards which included a 44 yard reception. Trading a 4th round pick for Chris Ivory is looking pretty good right now as well.

Idzik also drafted very well in his 1st try. The Jets started 5 rookie draft picks vs the Saints, Sheldon Richardson, Dee Milliner, Geno Smith, Brian Winters, and Tommy Bohanon. It should be noted that Bohanon and Winters both made huge blocks on the 52 yard Ivory run from their own 2 yard line.

Considering the salary cap troubles that Idzik inherited, he put together a fine team. He removed some salaries and added some quality young players. Next year there will be even more cap room if Sanchez and Holmes come off the books. As of right now, the Jets are in a good position for both this year and next. Thanks to John Idzik this year is a fun year and the future looks bright too.